Gannets Over the Bay

[Billfish715]

As I was sitting with Jeff Dement in his office at the Littoral Society on Sandy Hook, he almost exploded off his chair toward the window shouting "It's a Waterfall"! When I turned around I could see what he saw. There were thousands of gannets diving into the waters off Officers' Row. The phenomenon is often referred to a "waterfall". I quickly grabbed my camera and took off down the stairs to the water's edge. Traffic on the road was slowing down as everyone took in the incredible aerial show. The scene looked like something out of a WWII movie with white streaks of feathers dropping into the water like darts. The surface of the bay was foaming white from their dive bombing acrobatics. What an incredible sight to see in person!

The bait they were on was widespread and working into the wind toward the south end of the bay. Whether they were bunkers or herring was not evident but there was a huge school of them. What was ironic about it all was that while the fish were trying to escape the gannets, their escape route was taking them directly toward the seals which were on Skeleton Island.

I've seen gannets during the fall when they help pinpoint stripers but this flock must have been the entire migratory population of birds that are headed toward Nova Scotia and north! Wow!

[Chris G]

Great pics and yes that was amazing. It didn't stop there, west of the islands they were just as thick if not thicker. Real national geographic type shxt. When they were eventually full (assuming), thousands sat on the water almost in a straight line from the TC to the top of Chapel.Hill channel and beyond. Once north you found stragglers still dive bombing looking for food. It went on all day. Saw a small porpoise also around SH 17.

[Gerry Zagorski]

If that don't make your heart beat faster you're not alive.

Great shots and thanks for posting them here.

Love to watch those Gannets work. I've read that in a dive they reach 60 mph and can fish down to 40 feet.

Ran across this You Tube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySPR4lqT5-o

[Billfish715]

I've seen gannets diving on bait during the fall striped bass run but this was ridiculous. There were thousands of them. The videos give you a good idea about what it looks like but to actually be there was like being at a National Geographic event! They will be around for awhile as long as the bait is like it is and until Mother Nature tells them it's time to head to their breeding grounds.

In any event, the people at the Littoral Society have said that there are more gannets this year than they can remember and a lot has to do with the regulations regarding Raritan Bay bunker boats.

[Chris G]

Miles & miles worth...

[SaltLife1980]

Thats awesome. Nice pictures